Stacked Electrical Connector Terminal Assurance Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stacked electrical connectors face challenges in ensuring precise alignment and secure installation of terminals within cavities, requiring high precision and accurate mating to function effectively.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates upper and lower housings with integrally formed lances for primary terminal assurance and a secondary terminal assurance system, including a hinge or lock plate, to secure terminals in place, ensuring precise alignment and preventing movement during mating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional stacked electrical connectors are used without terminal assurance mechanisms, then the connector structure is simpler, but terminal alignment precision and secure installation cannot be ensured
Solution Approach 1:
The terminal assurance mechanism is divided into separate modular components including lances, hinges, and lock plates that can be independently manufactured and assembled into the connector housing, allowing precision features to be added without complicating the overall manufacturing process
Solution Approach 2:
The lances are pre-positioned within the housing cavities before terminal insertion, and the hinge mechanism is pre-configured to engage with terminals during the loading process, ensuring precise alignment is established before the actual terminal installation occurs
2Manufacturing precision
If high precision is required for terminal installation, then terminal alignment is improved, but the assembly process becomes more difficult and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge mechanism automatically engages with the terminal and lock plate during the assembly process, self-adjusting to ensure proper alignment and secure installation without requiring manual positioning or complex alignment procedures by the assembler
Solution Approach 2:
The lock plate serves as an intermediary component that mediates between the hinge mechanism and the terminal, providing a simple interface that guides terminal insertion and ensures precise positioning through its geometric features
3Reliability
If terminals are secured with multiple assurance mechanisms, then terminal security is improved, but the connector structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The lance, hinge, and lock plate are merged into an integrated terminal assurance system where the lance provides initial positioning, the hinge provides mechanical securing, and the lock plate provides final locking, with all components working together as a unified mechanism rather than separate systems
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge mechanism serves multiple functions: it guides terminal insertion, provides mechanical retention during assembly, and engages with the lock plate to secure the terminal in its final position, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function
Data Source
AI summary
A stacked electrical connector formed by mating an upper and a lower housing having rows of cavities containing terminals is disclosed. The upper and lower housings have primary terminal assurance provided by lances integrally formed into the housings. A secondary terminal assurance system is provided to further secure the terminals within the housings. In one embodiment, secondary terminal assurance is to terminals in the upper housing by lower housing protrusions and to terminals in the lower housing by a hinge. In another embodiment, secondary terminal assurance is provided to terminals in the upper and lower housing by upper and lower protrusions of a lock plate.